Tire-chain tool



June 1 1926.

J. R. NEWELL TIRE CHAIN` TOOL Filed Nov.- 27, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet lATTO' rPatentiedJune 1, 1926.` i

UNI-Traer ATEs JAMES n. NEWELL, or PITTSBURGH, riiivivsYLvANrA.

' .TIRE-CHAIN Toon.

Appiiation inea iimember[27',192s.y serialNo. 677,341. i.

My invention lrelates toy motor vehicles accessories andy particularlytotools for operating on tire chains.

One object, ot'my invention is to provide a relatively simple, compact,light-Weight, and self-.contained device for removing and attachingcross chains yof automobile tire p V p29, .and`31, all of substantiallythensame length. i v

chains. i o Y w In repairing tire chains, when links of the cross chainshave been broken use, it is customary to remove the pieces of the brokencross chain, andlto replace the kbroken chai-n bynanentirelynew one.This necessitates the opening of both end links of the broken chain,these end links being of diierent .form from the intermediate links,

and of closing both end links of the new cross chain overU theco-operatinglinks of the respective side chains. A l

Another object of my invention is to provide a device thaty shall openand close the end links of tire cross chains, with a single Bolts 23vand co-operating 'nuts are em# 5G continuous movement only oftheco-opeiat-A n f of the memberjand is'pivotally connectedy ing members.

vil/to open or to close chain links.

In the drawings, i

Figure 1'is a view, inside elevation, of a.r

Figs. 4 and 5 are views, in side elevation l` and on lan enlargedyscale,;of a portion of a device embodying my invention, operating onchain links. f-

An. upright standard 21:v comprising a `Suitable length of a steelmember, ofchany y or theintegral portions 28 and 29 fot the casting 25.yAnfannular flange member 115 nel section, has its lower end secured toand supported by` a pairfof spacedl angle-iron membersv 22, each of yasuitablek length.

ployed to secure one flange of the 'angle-bar members 22 tothe sideflanges of thek member 21'.` A brace bar .24:r may be provided,

. having its ends bolted respectively "tofone of the angle bar members22and to the'uprig'ht member 21 in order` to stiien the structure. A metalcasting 25, that comprises, in

In ,practicing my invention I provide` an upright standard, kan anvilsuitably mount-y ed thereon, and adouble bevel wedge mem.-L ber,normally yieldinglyheld in itsinopeiy ative position, that is movedtoward the'an` plurality of bolts27 having (1o-operating mountedthereon. The member 25 is vprovided withy a plurality of spaced andforwardly-extending .integralrv portions 2,8,

Thevportionf28 isi/provided with anintermediate slot 32 lthroughfvvhichthere eX- f tends through the, two; partsof the portion 2 8. An endmember 35 is pivotally connected to the rear end of the lever 33 andVhasfits `other end in" screw-threaded, ad-

justable, .engagementy with an elongated member 36, of rod or yoftubular form, that extends rsubstantially parallel to 4the stand- .aid21st the back thereof.y lAn end mein-V berv'', substantially similar'tothe endl'member 35, operatively engages the lower end tol one end of a4ootlever y38 that extends through the member 21 immediately above theangle bar members 22, an opening 39 being provided in the intermediateportion of the. kupright member vfor this purpose.

[In order toprovide a support havingsuicient strengthforay pivot ypin40,'on which vthe pedal .lever 38 isjinounted lintermediatef its ends, Iv,employ ai suitable `casting 1v1 that isjlocatedagainst thevinnersurface of the member 2,1 intermediate the side anges and "is boltedthereagainst byia plurality vof bolts 41h-2 having co-operating nutsthereon. n An entra lioletis provided inthe lever 38 close tothe rearend thereof,y to Apermit'ot obg taining a greater leverage whenever nec"essaryg j 1 Ap'lunger member 44, ofrodshape, has its upper end slottedto receive therounded front end' of the lever '38 and moves in suit ableyopenings provided in the forward ends `is secured'on the plunger44rintcrmediateits i' ingly maintained in itsnormal yinoperativeposition at the upper end otits travel.k In

`portion 29,*.whereb`y the4 plunger is 'yield-f this position ytheforward end ofthe toot pedalflever 38de in` itshig'hcst position and maybe engaged by the foot of an operator standing in front of the device tohave its forward end moved downwardly, thereby causing a downwardmovement of the plunger nl and of any tool operatively secured thereto.rl`l1e lever 3S may have short pieces el?, of suitable angle bars,mounted thereon at its front end to provide a platform for the operatorsfoot.

The lower end of the plunger le is provided with a suitable axialopening 418 to receive a tool to, work on chain links of automobile tirechai-ns. Vhen it is desired to operate on tire chains, either to open orto close them, l mount a double bevel wedge member 49 in the plungermember lill, vthe wedge member i9 being provided with an integral upperportion 50 that fits closely in the opening ll-B. Adjacent to its lowerend the wedge member 4.9 is provided with a double bevel, asis moreparticularly illustrated in Figs. et and 5 of the drawing, and the loweredge of the member i9 is made as a sharp cutting edge. The angle betweenthe two faces of the wedge member is relatively large for a shortdistance back of the lower edge, after which the angle therebe tween isless.

An anvil 5l, having an enlarged upper roundy portion 52 and a lowerportion 52a, of reduced diameter, is located in and on the portion 81 ofthe member 25, a suitable opening being provided in the member 3l toreceive the portion 52a. The upper surface of the portion 52 issubstantially plane, and a relatively narrow and elongated slot 53 isprovided in the portion 52 to receive the lower endof the wedge member49 when it is moved downwardly toward the anvil. A laterally-extendingopeningv 5l is provided in the portion 52 to permit of cleaning out theslot The portion 52 is provided, at its upper edge, with twosymmetrically spaced beveled portions 55, for ak purpose to behereinafter described in detail. The portion 52L of the anvil and theupper reduced portion of the wedge member -fl-9 may each be providedwith a countersunk opening 56, to permit of securing them in the portion31 and in the plunger 49 respectively, by headless set screws 57.

The end links of tire cross chains are usually of double return-bentform, a link of this kind being illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 of thedrawings and designated by the numoral 58. A portion ot a side chain 58ais illustrated in Fig. l of the drawing as conner-,ted to the roundedand return-bent portions of the end llink. 58 and aplurality ofintermediateV links 58D of the cross chain are illustrated as connectedto the end link a its other end.

When it is desired' to remove the end links of a broken cross chain itis necessary to open them and they are placed successively on the upperplane surface of the portion of the anvil in substantially the positionillustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The cross chain endlink 5S is laid on the anvil in suoli position that the wedge member lt9may be inserted between the ret rnbeutend portions and the intermediatestraight portions of the end link as is illustrated more particularly inFig. 2 of the drawings. rl"he reduced width of the upper surface of theportion 52, by reason of the beveled portions 55, permits of positioningthe link 58 substantially centrally on thc anvil, the link of the sidechain 58a operatively engaged by the end link 5&3 fitting closelyagainst one of the beveled surfaces The operator presses downwardly onthe pedal lever 38 causing the plunger member lei and the wedge member4:9 to move downwardly, the sharp lower edge thereof entering betweenthe main portions of the link and the return-bent end portions andforcing them apart. rlhe lower end of the wedge member Ai9 enters thelongitudinal slot 5t when at the lower limit of s movement. llig. l ofthe drawings illustrates the foot pedal lever in its fully depressedposition, and the parts attached thereto and actuated thereby are shownat the limit of their operative movement.

.l have' found that by employing a wedge member of substantially theform illustrated moi-'e particularly in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing,and having a double bevel, l( am able to open a cross chain link withoutits sticking or becoming wedged upon the wedge member 49. l am of theopinion that this is because of the fact that the angle of the bevel ofthe wedge member is relatively large at iirst, thereby causing the linkto open quickly, after which the bevel decreases and the link is notforced open as fast as it was originally, thereby reducingthe initialstress in the rounded portion of the link to such an extent that thelink does not bind or stick on the wedge member. This non-sticking ornon-wedging feature constitutes a valuable feature of my invention, as.it permits of opening a cross chain end link with but a single operativemove ment ofthe device that may be effected in a minimumtime.

lVhen it is desired to closea cross chain end link it is placed on theanvil 52 in such position that the rounded end portions thereof are onthe upper side thereof, as is illustrated` more particularly in Fig. iof the drawing. rlhe operator lays the chain link 58 on the upper planesurface of tl portion 52 of" the anvil and then press downwardly withhis foot on the lever positioningl the link 58 by hand sol that thelower sharpened edge of the wedge member 49j operatively engages thelink closely adjacent4 to the ends of its rounded porlll) lili) tions,and `initiallyYnotches'thesaine, asv .is illustrated more particularlyin' Fig. 'l.

v `This notcliinofk engagement of the sliar ened h b b l tary, and

edge with the chain' link positionsit 4on the top of the anvil whileclosing the saine, and thereby holds the chain link in proper positionto be operated upon'by the wedge member to close the'lieretofore openends thereof.f

A table 59 may be mounted against the upright standaid 2limmediatelybelow 'the casting member 25, yupon which tire chains,

may be laid while having broken cross chains removed or while havingnewcross lchains secured thereto by closing the end links thereof as hasbeen liereinbefore demetal membersl 60, of substantially U-shape, oneleg thereof extendingsubstantially hori- Zontally as is illustrated moreparticularly in Fig. l of the drawing. -The ends of the members 60 aresecured' against the niemto `hold it whileopening the same, kThe doublebevel"wedgemember `is effective to notch cross chain end linksimmediately adjacent to their Outer endspreparatory vclosing the` same,`whereby thecross chain" link is properly positioned' on the upper planesurfaceof' an anvil during the closing of th-e'link by. a singlecontinuous approaching niovement'of the wedgemember toward the anvil.This movement is eil'ected bythe operatorpressing, with his foot, upon alever` aggregate having a relatively large leverage and I*leaving hishands f free to ina-nipulate the chains asjrequired.

scribed. The table 59 may be supported by ber y21 by bolts 6l havingbutterfly nuts 62 mounted thereon to permit of easy and4 quick removalof the table whenever kdesired. Pins 63 may be provided on the tablev59adjacent to each end'thereof to hold the other portions of a tireprevent it sliding or falling olf the table while it is being operateduponv as described above. n

It may become necessary at times to cut a link of aside chain or an endlink ofl a cross chain and Fig. 5 illustrates the use of ymy Vdevicewhen employed for cutting a link in a side chain.

A side link 6e of a tire chain is illustrated cover late 65 liavino' anu er lane surchain and `as being located on the anvil to be cut. A.v

face and a plurality of depending integraly `ange portions, fit-sclosely upon the upper surface of the anvil, and a single downwardpressure by the operator on the lever k38 effects a cutting of the sidechain link 64:,

the double bevel wedge member i9 being suitably heat treated forthispurpose. rIhe plate 65 is suitably hardened io co-operate with thewedge member 49 in this Ikind of work. lflhile I have stated above thatthe wedge member 49 is heat treated or har-l dened to permit of its useas a cutting chisel, I do not desire to convey the meaning that it wouldnot otherwise be hardened for its normal purpose as I find thatl theouter surfaces of the wedge member weary very little when they aresuitably hardened andare employed for opening and closing chain links. vs v The device embodying my Vinvention thus provides a relativelysimple, compact, uniself-contained device for. opening crosscliainlinksof automobile tire chains with a single operative movement of a doublebevel wedge `member that is effective to properly position the chainlink and face,

,1.A tire chain tool for opening and for closingchain links comprising abase, an upright standard supported thereby, a plunger-guide membersecured to the standard at the upper end thereo-f and having a pluralityof vspaced forwardly extending arms, an anvil having a plane uppersureXtending arms for supporting ya chain link, a Lplunger movable inother of said. forwardly extending arms, a wedge member secured toy thelower end of said plunger, each side of said wedge member having twosuccessive operative faces disposed at different angles 'relatively to amedian line therebetween, a rlever pivotally mounted. in

said plunger-guide member for causing movement of said plunger landwedge inember toward said anvil, and a pedal-actuated lever yfor`effecting movement of said pli'mger-actuating lever;

2. A tire chain tool comprising a base, an upright standardy 'supportedthereby', a plunger-guide member secured to the standy, ard vat itsupper end and havin'g aplurality of spaced forwardly` extending arms, an

anvil having a plane ,uppery surface supported by the lowerniost-arm andadapted to support a chain link to be operated on, a plunger movable yinthe two uppermostI forwardly extending arms, resilient means engagingthelower of the plunger-guiding arms for normally yieldinglyholding theplunger in its raised position, ka wedge `member secured to thek lowerend of said plunger, eaclrside ofsaid wedge member having two successiveoperative faces disposedat different angles relatively to a median linetherebetween, said .wedge menibery being effective to open or to close achain ylink located on said anvil, by `a suppported by one of saidforwardly straight line approaching` movement, a lever pivotally mountedin said plunger-guide member for causing movement of said plunger andsaid Wedge member toward said anvil, and a. pedal-actuated lever `foreffecting movement of said plunger-actuating,` lever.

A tire Chain tool comprising a base, an upright standard supportedthereby, a plunger-guide member eeouredy to the Stand ard at its upperend and embodying a plurality of spaced forwardly extending); arms, ananvil having aplane upper surface, Supported by the lovermost forwardlyextending;` arn'l and adapted to Support a chain link to be operated on,a plunger movable in the uppermost forwardly extending arms, a spring'operatively engaging` the loivermost arm and the plu-nger for normallyyieldingly holding the plunger in its raised position, a Wedge membersecured to the lower end of the plunger for opening' and for closingchain links located on said anvil, a lever piVota-lly mounted in saidplunger-,guide member for causing doWn- Ward movement or' the plungerand the Wedge, a footpedal actuated member for moving saidplunger-actuating l ver, a ehain-supporting-table loeated below saidplunger-guide member and operatively supported by the upright standard,and pins` on said fable for engaging and holding a tire Chain whilebeing operated on.

In testimony Whe-ireot, I have hereunto subscribed my name thisnineteenth day of November, 19:23.

JAMES R. N'ENELL.,

CAD

